Florida Forest Service begins program to prevent Southern Pine Beetle outbreaks

The Florida Forest service will begin taking applications for the Southern Pine Beetle Assistance and Prevention Program on Friday.
The southern pine beetle is one of the most destructive forest pests in the southeast, and periodic outbreaks can rapidly kill millions of pine trees on tens of thousands of acres.
The last major outbreaks in Florida occurred from 1999 to 2002, resulting in an estimated $59 million in timber losses.
The Southern Pine Beetle Assistance and Prevention Program offers an incentive payment for landowners who conduct a first pulpwood thinning and partial cost reimbursement for prescribed burning, mechanical underbrush treatments and planting longleaf or slash pine.
Since it was first offered in 2005, the program has supported these practices on more than 120,000 acres around the state.
The program is limited to 44 northern Florida counties located within the range of the southern pine beetle.
Applications for the program are available on-line at floridaforestservice.com.

Applications will be accepted from June 14^th through July 31^st.

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